Zoom lens assembly
View Patent ↗A zoom lens assembly for a miniature camera, such as those used in cellular telephones and other personal electronic devices, is disclosed. One or more lenses of the zoom lens assembly are moved in and/or out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly to change the magnification of the lens. Since the magnification does not necessarily require movement of lenses along the optical path of the camera, the length of the zoom lens assembly, and consequently of the camera as well, is substantially reduced.
1. A zoom lens assembly comprising a plurality of lenses configured to move in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein each lens has approximately the same power.
2. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one lens that is configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
3. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lenses that is configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly is also configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
4. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein all of the lenses that are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly are also configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
5. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein all of the lenses that are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly are also configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly in unison.
6. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein all of the lenses that are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly are also configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly and movement of the lenses along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly is individually controllable.
7. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lenses are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than a frame rate of an associated camera.
8. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lenses are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than 30 times per second.
9. A zoom lens assembly comprising at least one optical element configured to move in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein the optical element(s) is/are configured to move along the optical path, movement of the optical element(s) along the optical path is/are individually controllable, and the optical element(s) is/are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than a frame rate of an associated camera.
10. A zoom lens assembly comprising at least one optical element configured to move in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein the optical element(s) is/are configured to move along the optical path, movement of the optical element(s) along the optical path is/are individually controllable, and the optical element(s) is/are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than 30 times per second.
11. A zoom lens assembly comprising at least one optical element configured to move in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein the optical element(s) is/are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than a frame rate of an associated camera.
12. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the optical element(s) is/are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than 30 times per second.
13. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the optical element(s) comprise(s) one lens.
14. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the optical element(s) comprise(s) one lens that is configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
15. A camera comprising:
a focusing lens assembly;
an image sensor upon which an image is focused by the focusing lens assembly;
a zoom lens assembly comprising a plurality of lenses configured to move in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly; and,
wherein each of the lenses that is configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly has approximately the same power.
16. The camera as recited in claim 15 , further comprising at least one lens that is configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
17. A zoom lens assembly comprising a plurality of lenses configured to move independently in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein each lens has approximately the same power.
18. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 17 , wherein the lenses are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than a frame rate of an associated camera.
19. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 17 , wherein the lenses are configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than 30 times per second.
20. A zoom lens assembly comprising a plurality of lenses configured to move independently in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein:
each lens has a substantially different power; and,
at least one of the lenses is configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
21. A zoom lens assembly comprising a single lens configured to move in and out of an optical path of the zoom lens assembly, wherein the lens is configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than a frame rate of an associated camera.
22. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 21 , wherein the lens is configured to move in and out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly at a rate faster than 30 times per second.
23. The zoom lens assembly as recited in claim 21 , wherein the lens is configured to move along the optical path of the zoom lens assembly.
24. A zoom lens having an optical path and comprising a lens that is moveable into, out of and along the optical path and further comprising a camera coupled to the lens, wherein the lens is configured to move at least one of into, out of and along the optical path at a rate faster than a frame rate of the camera.
25. A zoom lens having an optical path and comprising a lens that is moveable into, out of and along the optical path, wherein the lens is configured to move at least one of into, out of and along the optical path at a rate faster than 30 times per second.